X-Energy, LLC

Peter J Pappano

Martin Van Staden

Howard Kim

Martin Peter Van Staden

Nuclear fuel elements may include: a fuel zone including fuel particles disposed in parallel layers in a matrix including graphite powder; and a shell comprising graphite and surrounding the fuel zone. The fuel particles may include fissile particles, burnable poison particles, breeder particles, or a combination thereof. The fuel zone may include a central region and a peripheral region surrounding the central region, and a fuel particle density of the peripheral region may be greater than a fuel particle density of the central region.

Nuclear fuel pebble and method of manufacturing the same

A multi-inlet gas distributor for a fluidized bed chemical vapor deposition reactor that may include a distributor body having an inlet surface, an exit surface opposed to the inlet surface, and a side perimeter surface. The distributor body may also include multiple-inlets evenly spaced from each other, wherein the multiple-inlets penetrate the distributor body from the inlet surface to a first depth. The distributor body may additionally include cone-shaped apertures connecting to corresponding ones of the multiple-inlets at the first depth and extend from the first depth toward the exit surface. An apex may be formed on the exit surface at the intersection of the cone-shaped apertures.

Multi-inlet gas distributor for chemical vapor deposition coating of TRISO particles

A method of manufacturing nuclear fuel elements may include: forming a base portion of the fuel element by depositing a powdered matrix material including a mixture of a graphite material and a fibrous material; depositing particles on the base portion in a predetermined pattern to form a first particle layer, by controlling the position of each particle in the first particle layer; depositing the matrix material on the first particle layer to form a first matrix layer; depositing particles on the first matrix layer in a predetermined pattern to form a second particle layer by controlling positions of each particle in the second particle layer; depositing the matrix material on the second particle layer to form a second matrix layer; and forming a cap portion of the fuel pebble by depositing the matrix material. The particles in the first particle layer and the second particle layer include nuclear fuel particles.

A method of manufacturing nuclear fuel elements may include: forming a graphite base portion of the fuel element; depositing a first layer of graphite spheres on the base portion; depositing a first layer of fuel, burnable poison and/or breeder particles on the first layer of graphite spheres; forming a second layer of graphite spheres on the first layer of particles; depositing a second layer of fuel, burnable poison and/or breeder particles on the second layer of graphite spheres; and forming a graphite cap portion of the fuel element. Fuel, burnable poison and/or breeder particles of the first layer may be are spaced apart by substantially the same distance, and fuel, burnable poison and/or breeder particles of the second layer may be spaced apart by substantially the same distance. The fuel element may be a spherical fuel pebble. The fuel particles may be tri-structural-isotropic (TRISO) particles without an overcoat.

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Poolesville, MD, United States of America

Peter J Pappano